An evaluation of registered nurses’ experiences of person-centered care and competence after participating in a course in digital competence in care

BACKGROUND: Health care’s rapid transition from in-person visits to more digital care meetings has challenged nurses to find new, sustainable ways of using digital technology. METHODS: The aim was to describe registered nurses’(RN) experiences with person-centred care (PCC) and competence after participating in a course in Digital Competence in Care (DCC). In this study, a qualitative descriptive design was used, and 16 individual interviews were carried out with RNs. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The COREQ checklist was used in this study. RESULTS: The results were presented in four categories: being open to change and new ways of working with patients; struggling to handle requirements; developing new ways of working and focusing on patients despite the distance. CONCLUSIONS: The DCC course helped develop RNs' skills and practice of PCC in digital care meetings. Training in digital care theory increased RNs' competence and facilitated the creation of new knowledge. The RNs' professional role was strengthened by participating in the changing of work routines. Digital care meetings were shown to be distance bridging and complementary to physical care meetings contributing to PCC. The increased availability of health care via digital means has affected the consumption of care and tailored education needs for RNs must be met by nursing education programs. Digital care is accessible, efficient and enables care regardless of geographical conditions, its innovative development needs to be based on science and experience and RNs are key personnel in this process. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-01151-2.